Where Were You?
by sarahgoode
Summary: AU/AH. NO VAMPIRES. Stefan is a new student whom has caught the eye of Elena. They will hopefully find refuge from their friends and families in a blossoming relationship with each other. Mysterious supernatural elements interfere. Derivative work (2017) created under fair use of copyrighted characters created by L.J. Smith!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Where were you?

He tried not to stare. But the laugh kept grabbing his attention. He felt foolishly jealous of the small group of friends who gave her their rapt attention. Her voice low as they were in the library. She and her friends had a system of communication, hand gestures, and expressions that made their daily conversations in the school library possible.

He had seen her around the school off and on starting with his first day as a transfer student. And it was the laugh that caught his attention. From a distance, in rather dim lighting, he almost mistook her beauty for an illusion. She was slim and with a lovely carefree innocence about her. Long hair cascaded passed her shoulders in waves and curls with a subtle auburn tint to it. In profile, her lashes and glow from her skin couldn't possibly be that visible.

No one is that striking.

That afternoon he had noticed her again at dismissal. Their lockers were far apart enough for him to see her without looking deliberate.

"Hey you coming over after school?"

His new friend, ever present, blocked his view, leaning clumsily against the neighboring locker.

Matt had been assigned to be his tour guide on Stefan's very first day, 2 weeks ago, and hadn't left his side since.

"I don't know," he stammered trying to hide his irritation.

The rest of whatever Matt rambled on about was lost on deaf ears. Something about...getting together with the guys...so-in-so is going to be there...you never hang out...you never hang out...why don't you ever hang out...flat line, buzzzz, thats all he heard.

"I got some stuff I've got to do."

"Like what?"

"I'm going to get a run in, study for a test." Stefan tried to placate Matt with lame but acceptable excuses, all the while trying to glance past him for a view of Elena without seeming creepy and obvious.

Even Matt, who was not particularly swift, picked up on this. Matt followed Stefan's line of view and realized who his friend was staring at. And of course, at that moment, Elena who was rummaging though her bag felt their stare and looked up.

A little too loudly, "Ahhh, yeah, good luck with that dude!" Matt chucked and walked away.

Well, if she wasn't onto him staring at her before, she was now.

He continued to rifle through the clutter in his locker trying to find whatever he needed to take home with him.

He didn't dare look up again but turned on his heels after closing his locker and headed out the door in the opposite direction. He didn't have the nerve to walk past her and make an attempt at a charming introduction after that.

Elena had noticed the new guy looking at her and then Matt turning around laughing. What the hell was Matt saying about her? And after Stefan's abrupt departure, she wasn't sure if she should approach him or not.

She had been admiring him from afar. But had yet to mention this to her two best friends, Bonnie and Caroline. They had been on the outs for a while and had just gone back to their normal routine without the back stabbing and jealousy. Or at least for now, it was on the back burner.

Bonnie and Caroline had been best friends for years and only in the last year or so, after classes had put them together, Bonnie and Elena had become close. Caroline had been jealous. She was known to be moody but their new friendship infuriated her. Feeling left out whenever she found out about Elena's and Bonnie's shopping trips, sleep overs, dinners with each other's families. It was never their intent to leave Caroline out. But Caroline put Elena in a deep freeze that actually drove Elena to another lunch table and to find her own ride home. Bonnie caught attitude from Caroline during this time if Caroline saw the two friends even talking or walking out of class together. Caroline was insecure but no one could pinpoint the cause of this imaginary competition.

But after a softening of Caroline's heart, she approached Elena asking if she wanted to talk. She missed her friend and grew tired of being jealous and angry. The "talk" never really eventuated. She really just meant she wanted to be friends again. Girlfriends were exhausting. But Elena missed her and was grateful to be included again. She had that kind of forgiving nature.

Girls were not always each other's advocates. So, the last thing Elena wanted to do was give Caroline the option of taking away her new interest. Elena wasn't clear on the details as to where Stephan came from, why he moved, or where exactly he lived now. She was going to make it a personal goal to befriend him without interference.

Although, after his quick departure she wasnt sure how approachable he would be. That just made him all the more interesting.

Stefan had only recently moved in with his Uncle Zack after his parents had started to seriously contemplate divorce. He wanted to be out of the line of fire and seriously doubted his parents even noticed he was gone. Zack had rescued him from the war zone. Having no children of his own, and plenty of room, he welcomed his nephew with whom he had always been close.

Children were always told not to believe they were the cause of their parents marital strife. But Stefan was old enough to notice some things. The family had moved frequently for no apparent reason.

Stefan never quite caught the entirety of the hushed conversations between his parents that made him feel paranoid,

"He...him...I dont know...Someone mentioned it again... and I don't even think he was home... I'm not overthinking things!"... and then it would get loud but no longer be interesting or necessitate eavesdropping.

Zack was at work. Stefan came home to an empty house but welcomed the quiet. He probably needed a job or an after school obligation to keep occupied. After school he was usually a little tired and it was either a nap or caffeine. He chose the ladder on the way home with a large coffee and took the opportunity to take the dog on a long walk. He was never one for morning exercise so this was how it went. Daisy knew the routine and would jump all over him as soon as he walked in the door. He could hear her wimpering before he even got the door unlocked. When he or Zack came home, she always seemed to be in a panic that maybe this was the day that they were not coming home. And greeted either of them like a long missing relative...now the walk...lets walk... walk,...how about now?

She was a beautiful six year old border collie with the enthusiasm of a puppy. Daisy had worked her way into Stefan's heart in no time at all, much like a child would. If he ever had to move out, it would be a long drawn out custody battle between himself and Zack for Daisy. Once he entered the house there was no leaving until she got her walk.

Stefan had moved in only a few weeks prior and had kept to himself. Upon noticing Elena, he realized that was going to have to change if he wanted her attention.

He and Daisy made there way past a few neighboring houses. He was still learning who his neighbors were. Matt was among them. He wasnt going to be rude, if he saw him, but he wasn't staying around for the fraternal gathering Matt had mentioned. It was sure to be fueled by the cheapest beer possible. Hence the attraction for all Matt's buddies. If they couldn't entice and women over, the evening would probably end with "gaming" in a cloud of Cheetos dust. No thank you.

But Stefan made his way past Matt's without incident. Probably too early anyway.

He and Daisy broke into a run and continued on to the park and made at least four one mile loops before retiring to the next door dog park for a water break and a little rest.

He didn't realize he had been spotted by Elena. She was on her way home with her shih tzu, Lucy, as she saw Stefan coming along with his dog. She didn't exactly do the marathon he and Daisy did. Little Lucy would have knocked herself out trying though, not even noticing if she was getting too tired. He looked preoccupied and Elena didnt want to bother him. She resolved to talk to him at school, next opportunity. It didn't hurt that he really seemed to love his dog. There was a light behind his bright green eyes when interacting with Daisy that certainly wasn't there at school. This would give them something to talk about. He always seemed quiet. But his playing with the dog made his face light up in an almost childlike manner. Maybe he was approachable after all.

And there goes her phone with a demanding message from Caroline.

 **TBC**

 **Will update soon. Reviews and constructive criticism appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Caroline's well meaning but intrusive message read: "At Bonnie's. When are you going to get here?!"

Elena sighed. But she would rather be in the loop than out of it again. Caroline just wanted them to all get together and prepare a dinner this evening. They loved Bonnie's house. Free reign. It was like a second home for the girls.

Elena had already started on her way home from the park with Lucy. She was looking forward to the evening with her best friends. Her thoughts drifted back to Stefan as she worked out a conversation starter for tomorrow. She felt foolish when she realized she had been grinning to herself like an idiot. She caught the image of someone walking towards her to share the sidewalk. Lucy growled quietly.

"Lucy, no no!" she glanced up to the stranger apologetically. But this did not appear to be a stranger.

Stefan.

Stefan, coming from the opposite direction from where she just left him at the park 3 minutes ago. This person walked past without meeting her eye, no trace of acknowledgment. Not rude. But simply as if he didn't see her. What? She stopped and watched as he continued down the sidewalk. No dog. Her heart started to pound. Maybe she had imagined it? Elena picked up the pace to get home. A little afraid to turn around again.

By the time she got back to the house she had decided that Stefan must have a twin. But… wouldn't this other sibling be in school with them? Well, of course, she didn't really know him or his family at all. Maybe all this time, both brothers had been enrolled in classes and she couldn't tell one from the other? She was going to find out. But for now, this was how she could cope with it in her mind.

Oh, she almost forgot. She sent off a message, "On my way!"

Stefan realized he had spaced out for a while. He was still at the park. When had it gotten so dark? He resolved to start heading home. He hadn't even started studying for test he claimed (to Matt) that he needed to prepare for. Everyone else had already emptied out of the park. Zack would probably be wondering where he was. He checked his phone. No messages.

"Let's go Daisy!" Daisy ran towards him and he replaced her leash for the walk home.

"Eleeeeennnnnnaaaaa, come on in Honey!" Bonnie's Grams greeted her at the door. She clearly already had a few drinks in her. Dr. Sheila Bennett, the alcoholic intellectual, professor of Occult Studies at Whitmore College was the nicest grandma you would ever want to meet. As long as she had a drink in one hand and one of her mysterious ancient tomes in her lap. This was a gathering place for Bonnie's friends. None of them ever got into any trouble. They had free reign of the small cozy split level home, it's kitchen, and everything in it. Ms. Sheila's room was on the lower level along with her piles and piles and piles of books on the supernatural and more first edition Stephen King novels than one would believe.

"Thank you Ms Sheila," there were big hugs and greetings and inquiries about the families.

"Bonnie told me to stay out of the kitchen, you girls go have fun."

Bonnie and Caroline were already in the kitchen making a mess and called out to her for help.

They eventually sat down, along with Ms. Sheila, to pasta with Bonnie's sauce which she never seemed to make the same way twice, but was always delicious, salad, breadsticks, and wine.

"Grams, careful with the cheese, you have to watch your cholesterol! Did you take your medication?" Nag, nag… Bonnie was simply looking out for her grandmother. "Sweety please, enough with the medical advice, I'm NEVER going to die!" This was one of her favorite sayings. Throw caution to the wind, "I'm never going to die!" It was a little morbid, but the girls were used to her and it actually seemed cute.

So, full of food and enjoying the company, the wine had loosened Elena's tongue.

"Whats with this Stefan guy? Have you guys talked to him, ever?"

Bonnie looked up, "No, I haven't actually met him. But he's hard to miss! He's adorable!"

Caroline looked down, "I tried talking to him…." of course Elena thought.

Caroline shrugged her shoulders, reluctant to admit defeat.

"He's polite enough, but so aloof. I felt like I was bothering him."

Bonnie looked at her friend, "You do come on a little strong Care."

"He barely gave me a second glance!"

Elena interrupted before Caroline could start to feel too sorry for herself,

"Does he have a twin?" She was met with confused shakes of the head.

"I don't think so. Maybe I should go after him! Maybe he'll be nicer!" Caroline perked up.

Everyone was giggling now. Elena recounted what she had seen on her walk. No one really knew what to say, the twin theory sounded plausible.

But Grams, grabbed Elena's hand and asked for more details.

"Grams, we'll figure it out. Don't go trying to scare Elena!" Bonnie tried to save her friend.

"Elena, you'll let me know if this happens again won't you?" Ms. Sheila asked her pointedly.

" Of course Ms Sheila."

Grams proceeded downstairs to her part of the house. Bonnie rolled her eyes.

Caroline grabbed the rest of what was left of the wine.

"I call dibbs on the nicer brother!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Before she lost her nerve, Elena approached Stefan in the hallway the next morning.

"Hi, Stefan? I'm Elena. I just wanted to say hello, sorry I haven't introduced myself already…." she felt like she was rambling, glad to have finished her sentence before all the air left her lungs.

After his initial look of surprise she was rewarded with a genuine smile and nod.

"It's nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand. This seemed like such a mature and adult response. Something about him...

She felt her face heat up.

"I saw you at the dog park yesterday, I was on my way out, that was you right?"

"Uh, yeah… Sorry I didn't see you there."

They made small talk about Stefan's / Zack's beautiful dog. And what kind of dog Elena had. This is what she had been hoping for, a reasonable excuse to talk to him and a common interest. They spoke further about where he had moved to and discovered they lived rather close to each other.

Recalling the Stefan look alike on her way home the night before, she couldn't help but ask,

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Actually, I do."

Strangely for him, Elena seemed almost relieved, until he continued.

"My sister, Lexi, she goes to Whitmore."

"Oh, do you have a brother too?"

"No, actually, I don't but I wish I did sometimes. How about your family? Do you have any siblings?" He asked, politely showing an interest.

Elena's face fell. She wasn't really listening to the question, then stammered out,

"No, it's just me," with a nervous giggle. Not the lovely laugh that had caught his attention when he first saw her.

He noticed a shift in the mood of the conversation.

"I think we have the same lunch period," he recalled seeing her and her friends in the library at that time of day. Then realized he was admitting to having watched her. But obviously, she had been paying attention to him as well. The thought lifted his spirits. And he was hoping that whatever had caused her shift in mood during this brief talk had not ruined his chances.

"Stefan!" Matt's timing was impeccable. Did he haunt Stefan's locker? Did he wait around the corner for Stefan to show up? Did he not recognize the common social etiquette of teenages? Don't interrupt when your "buddy" is finally chatting with the girl he has been staring at for 2 weeks…

'S'up?" he glanced at Elena like she was just standing there, in the way, a place holder keeping Stefan occupied, awaiting Matt's arrival.

After a tight smile and nod to Matt, she looked back at Stefan, "See you later Stefan."

He got a sincere smile with a lingering look as he promised to catch up with her later.

"Why didn't you come in?" Matt started in.

"Excuse me?" Stefan asked with as much patience as he could muster.

His friend went on to question him at length about why he didn't come into the house last night. Matt claimed to have seen him outside his home the night before.

"Oh, I thought maybe it was too early," remembering that he had walked past Matt's house yesterday afternoon. So, he was trying to come up with an excuse.

"What? It was like 8 or 8:30 when I saw you outside."

Stefan was confused, it hadnt been that late when he was walking home. But this just was not important to him at the moment. He was still replaying his encounter with Elena in his head.

"Uhmm, yeah, I don't know what I was thinking. I'll talk to you later. He left a bewildered Matt in the hallway.

By lunch, they were able to meet up again for a bit. Stefan was able to meet Bonnie as well as Caroline … again. And of course, Caroline seemed to be miffed that Elena had been able to catch Stefan's attention when she had not been able to.

So, it had been concluded that there was no Stefan "twin." And over the course of the next few weeks, Caroline peppered Elena with questions,

"So, is he going to be following us around now? Is he going to sit with us at lunch? When are you two going out? Is he going to give you rides to and from school now or am _I_ still doing that?"

"Caroline…." Bonnie tried to slow her down, much like one would give a warning to a small child.

"Bonnie….." she mocked.

Try as she might, Caroline was not going to ruin Elena's good mood. The goofy grin was back on her face and she did not mind who saw. Her mood was lighter. This was not a relationship yet but a hopeful distraction from her friends.

Stefan finally received a call from home. He walked into the house, listening to Zack insist to his sister, Lily, that sending money was not necessary. He was happy to have Stefan stay with him. It was nice for Stefan to hear this without Zack even knowing he was listening.

"Oh, Stefan, it's your mom," he handed him the phone.

Pleasantries were exchanged. His mother's voice sounded calmer and more relaxed than he expected. Was it that nice to have him gone? Stefan's dad, (Giuseppe), was not at home at the time to talk. She was vague about the status of the divorce but Stefan suspected things had gotten better between his parents.

"She sounds happy," it was almost a question Zack posed.

"I suppose, she didn't even really ask me much about how I was doing or press for details." Stefan just shrugged.

While Stefan was such a serious person, Zack was like a ray of sunshine. He could brighten anyone's mood. They were actually close in age, Zack being Lily's much younger brother.

"Have you heard from Lexi, Stefan?"

"No, I've been meaning to call her," this idea brightened Stefan's mood.

"Tell her to come spend a weekend here! I'll just steal both my sister's children!"

"Yeah, and you know my mom talks to her quite a bit. Maybe Lexi can shed some light on the situation with my parents as to whether they are splitting or not."

"This is your home Stefan, regardless of what happens. Don't forget that, okay?

Now, are we going to meet this girl you been talking to?"

"How did you know about all that?"

"I have ears. I can hear you on the phone at night. You seem almost...cheerful, I dare say"

Stefan had not thought about it until he got back to his room. If things were better at "home" why hadn't Lily inquired more about how Stefan was doing and would he consider coming home?

He was going to get in touch with his sister before the weekend.

 **Apologies for any missed typos or errors. PLEASE review ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Zack woke in the middle of the night. Daisy usually slept at the foot of someone's bed, either Stefan's or Zack's according to whomever went to bed last. Their dog seemed to feel the need to protect the last person to go to bed. No matter how late, Daisy stayed with them, patiently waiting. She would not leave anyone alone downstairs. And since Stefan's uncle had been up late this evening, she took over his bed.

At first he wasn't sure what had awoken him.

The moonlight coming through the window was particularly bright as it was a full moon. So, Zack assumed that rolling over in the direction of the open shade had disturbed his sleep. No, it was a sound. An almost indetectable growl was coming from his dog. This was out of character for Daisy.

Usually, she would only bark or growl to intimidate the poor raccoons, stray cats, foxes, deer, or squirrels scurrying around the woods outside their home at night. Of course, these animals went unnoticed by the occupants but Daisy saw them all as a threat to _her_ home and family.

Was she dreaming? Zack felt the instinct to hold completely still until he knew what had the dog's attention. He tried to trace Daisy's line of sight. In the corner of the bedroom, sitting in a chair, was Stefan. He was as still as could be with a blank stare on his face. He seemed unaware of Daisy's anxiety. It was too dark to see much of his expression.

Zack sighed, not realizing he had been holding his breath, "Jesus Stefan, you scared me! What are you doing over there? Daisy, quiet!"

Stefan remained in the corner of Zach's bedroom near the window and soft lighting.

Daisy started to shake and growl louder and shot up on her feet.

Having just woken up, Zack felt bewildered and tried to calm his dog,

"Daisy, don't growl, that's Stefan. What the hell are you doing in here, Stefan? What's wrong?"

The dog was still looking in Stefan's direction. Daisy then begun to whimper, frightened. She leaped from the bed and scurried out of the room.

Zack shot a glance at his nephew still sitting by the window in a chair opposite the bedroom door the dog had just used to escape. Still no change in Stefan's posture or clouded expression, he did not even seem aware of what was happening. He looked like he was sleeping with his eyes open…

Zack, jumped from the bed, after glancing at Stefan one more time, and followed Daisy's path. She was still whimpering. He followed the sound of his dog which led him down the hall to Stefan's room.

 _The room where Stefan currently lay sound asleep_ , _snoring_. Daisy was snuggling next to him as if seeking protection...

Zack went back to his own room, trembling. There was no one in his own room now. The chair next to the moonlit window was empty. He would have thought he had dreamt the whole thing if he wasn't currently awake, having followed Daisy. He did not sleep the rest of the night.

The next morning as Zack stumbled into the kitchen, exhausted.

It was Stefan who was the cheerful one this time, wide awake, making coffee and toasting bagels. He turned to greet him. Then he saw Zack's face.

"Hey, morning Zack. You okay?"

"Yeah, I really didn't sleep very much." He had come up with a possible explanation, in his mind, while tossing and turning the night before.

"Stefan, are you a sleepwalker?"

He didn't go into detail about what he had seen. Sleepwalking still would not explain how Stefan suddenly traveled from Zack's room to his own room, down the hall, in a matter of seconds.

Stefan started, "I don't think so, but Mom said I had been as a child, why?"

Zack did not want to go into extensive detail about his experience the night before, "I just thought I saw you in my room." That was all he had the energy to say on the matter. At least for now.

"Not that I recall, maybe you were dreaming," Stefan offered.

Internally shaking his head, Zack chose not to respond.

Lexi, Stefan's older sister, returned his phone call on Zack's home phone when she could not get through on her brother's mobile phone. She was the most cheerful person in their family besides Uncle Zack. Although he was happy to hear from his niece, she had clearly caught him on a bad day. He was pleasant and invited her to his home for the weekend but he sounded exhausted. They talked at length about her courses, dorm life, and how often she managed to see her parents during breaks.

Zack came around after hearing Lexi's giggles and enthusiasm.

"So, how's my brother? Is he getting on your nerves yet?"

"Not at all," he wondered if he should bring up the story from the previous night. But the more time went by, the more ridiculous it sounded in his head.

"Did your mom ever talk about Stefan possibly being a sleepwalker? I mean I asked him and she said it happened when he was a child." He briefly talked about seeing Stefan in his room the night before but spared Lexi the eerie details...

"Has anyone else who knows my brother witnessed something like this Zack?"

The question struck him, "Well, I have no idea. He's got a girl he's talking to I don't know very well. Other than that, he really does keep to himself."

"I'll be there this weekend," she said as if her visit was going to result in an explanation and a solution.

Stefan was relieved to see that Matt was steering clear of him ever since their last conversation about Matt thinking he had seen Stefan outside his house the night of the party. Stefan felt a little bad though, he didn't mean to offend his friend. But he appreciated the space. He and Elena spent more and more time together. Maybe that's why Matt was staying out of his way.

Elena's dog Lucy loved Stefan and would jump all over him as he greeted Elena at her door.

"I think Daisy is jealous and can tell when I have been over here playing with Lucy. She can pick up on the scent."

By Friday, Elena hosted another small dinner party. Lexi had arrived and settled in at Zack's and was, of course, invited to come along. Elena was excited to meet Lexi, she had beautiful long hair, a much lighter brown than Stefan's, almost blonde. She had brown eyes and a warm smile and personality that made Elena feel like she had known her all her life.

Caroline opted to stay home for the evening, a break for everyone really. Bonnie arrived early to prepare food with Elena, who would otherwise be on her own for the evening.

After a game of Pictionary, another huge spaghetti dinner, and lots of laughter, (mostly at Stefan's expense), Bonnie began to doze off on the loveseat as did Stefan on the opposite couch. Elena and Lexi were still chatting and drinking. No one had bothered to think about the aftermath in the kitchen and dining room from the dinner.

"Let me help you clean up Elena, these two aren't going to be much help," Lexi offered, motioning to Stefan, and then Bonnie, both now sound asleep.

So, Elena and Lexi gathered some plates and glasses and made their way to the kitchen.

Elena dropped everything in her hand. Glass exploded on the tile.

The both looked up to see "Stefan" walking out the back door of the kitchen.

Elena began to shake and looked helplessly at Lexi, who grabbed her arm and said calmly,

"That's not Stefan, Elena."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lexi leads a trembling Elena over to the dinner table.

"What do you mean it's not him?"

Lucy traveled from the living room to Elena's lap. She noticed the dog trembling a bit, but was preoccupied and simply held her closer. Comfort for both of them. A quick peak in the living room confirmed that Stefan was still on the couch.

Lexi sets about cleaning up the broken glass after Elena struggles to answer simple questions like, "Where is the dustpan and broom?"

There was no sign of another presence outside the door, but by now, some time has passed.

"Did you not see someone just leave my house? Someone who looked exactly like your brother?"

Elena's voice gets louder and higher in pitch, "Am I crazy?"

"No Elena, you're not, I saw it too." Lexi kept her voice low while putting the food away and loading the dishwasher.

It?

After an evening of new friendship and bonding, Elena suddenly felt as though Lexi was trying to avoid eye contact by cleaning the kitchen. Elena still sat at the table, frozen. Neither girl heard Stefan walk into the kitchen. He had been awoken by the noise and chatter.

At the sound of his voice, Elena's head shot up. She was out of her chair and backing away from him and towards Lexi at the kitchen sink. Lexi startled as well, but when she looked up and saw him she smiled. How much had he heard of their conversation?

"Elena, what's wrong?" He moved to embrace her but she looked at him warily, as if she did not recognize him. Truthfully, she was not even sure she was looking at Stefan.

"We just had a scare. Some noise outside. Everything is fine. I think we should get home Stefan." Lexi offered.

"Wait a minute, Elena what happened? And what's with the broken glass? Give Lucy to me, she could step in it." He motioned for the dog.

"l really cleaned it all up. But...Stefan..." Lexi was getting annoying now.

Elena started to relax, looking into Stefan's caring expression. Their relationship was only in its preliminary stages. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was crazy. But this was the second occurrence of her seeing something like this. And she had a reliable witness, his sister. But Lexi was trying to drag him out the door.

Elena fell into his arms. She was warmed by his concern. He noticed how shaken she was. "Hey…" giving her a comforting squeeze and kissing her temple.

"What happened?" he whispered to Lexi.

This was Elena's chance, "We saw someone who looked exactly like you just walk out this back kitchen door." She looked up at him. "But obviously, you're still here."

Stefan looked to his sister. She nodded.

Stefan glanced at the doorway where Elena and Lexi claimed to have watched him leave. He then gave a indecipherable look to Elena. He wanted to say something, she could tell.

"What is it Stefan?" she asked him.

"How long was I out? It looks like Bonnie is still asleep…" he was still trying to work something out on his head.

"About 20 minutes or so," Lexi offered while glancing at Elena who nodded in confirmation.

"I must have dreamed it, but I thought I was on my way out. I dreamed I went out this same door."

Stefan went on to say that that was all he could remember. He seemed to remember a breaking sound, the glass, but could not tell if that had been part of the dream or just him waking up. Now, he was confused and sat down.

"The other morning, Zack asked me if I was a sleepwalker." He said he had seen me in his room in the middle of the night but then found me sound asleep in my own room," he finished. We thought it was just a dream.

"He mentioned that to me…" Lexi spoke up again.

Stefan looked over at Lexi, "This reminds me of being told by Mom when we were kids that I was sleepwalking. But I usually did not remember any details the next day."

Lexi's shoulders drooped with a sigh and she joined Stefan at the table, "I think you were a sleepwalker. I would see it happen too," she continued looking at her brother. "Obviously, this is a little different."

A few moments passed and Stefan, still snuggling Lucy, said, "I remember Dad almost getting mad at me about it. He didn't believe that I wasn't trying to get out of staying in bed at night. Mom would rush to my defense and things would dissolve into an incoherent argument."

"It's late. Should I give Bonnie a ride home?"

Clearly, Lexi was ready for the night to be over.

"I'm here," Bonnie stumbled into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table. She had heard the end of the conversation. Elena filled her in on the rest while filling a teapot with water. This conversation was by no means over. Without even asking, Elena brought out the tea cups and herbal tea bags for everyone and set them out in the middle of the now cleared table. It was late and chilly outside with the autumn air. Elena's family was away and she did not want to be left alone.

Bonnie asked Stefan, "Has this happened before though? In other words, you're accused of being somewhere you're not?"

"Yes." Lexi answered for him and captured everyone's attention. "You've always had someone with you Stefan," everyone stopped moving.

Her face turned to include everyone in the room. I really do not know how to explain it. My parents have seen this too, I believe. It wasn't something they discussed with us. How could they have understood? Neighbors would claim he was home when he was supposed to be in school. This spirit or presence has followed us every time we've ever moved... I think I caught some of this information through snippets of conversations and arguments because I was a little older. Apparently, it's followed you here Stefan."

"Well I am clearly alive and well. So, umm…...an apparition of myself makes no sense."

Two more confessions were made that night. Elena retold her experience of having seen Stefan after having just left him at the dog park. Stefan was more spooked by this than anyone. This was him they were talking about. But it jogged his memory. Matt had claimed to see him outside of his house late into the evening of his party when Stefan was already home from his run with Daisy. Matt had avoided him ever since.

Bonnie cleared her throat, "We have to talk to my Grams."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Elena did not sleep well that night. She half expected to see something again and Stefan was clearly asleep in bed. Lexi had gone home by herself but Bonnie snuggled into the guest room. Funny enough, Elena could hear a light snore coming from her in the next room. Stefan was steadily breathing, snoring next to Elena, keeping her warm. She felt safe knowing she was not alone. But also felt like she was the only one in the world still awake. She inevitably dozed at some point but awoke to see Stefan walking back from the ensuite bathroom and she nearly jumped out of her skin. In her hazy, sleep deprived mind, she thought Stefan was still asleep next to her and that what she was seeing was another figure…

He almost chuckled, "It's okay, Elena, go back to sleep," he reassured her as she crawled back under the covers. She relaxed a little after that and made a determined effort to keep her eyes shut.

Bonnie left the next morning and Stefan and Elena decided to spend the rest of the day together. The previous night's drama seemed like a distant dream with the morning light and fresh air coming through the windows. Lucy bounced around and played on the bed, loving the attention they both showered upon her. Stefan was this puppy's new best friend. Lucy had become a little traitor! She followed him everywhere around the house. Gone was her skittishness from the night before. It was Stefan who decided they should take advantage of the beautiful fall day. They could visit with Lexi again later before she went back to school.

Something crossed Elena's mind. She tried to ignore it. But the truth was she was a little afraid to be alone with her, now, boyfriend for fear of any interruptions from his likeness.

But since Stefan seemed to be the only one who never saw it, maybe being with him was the safest place to be. And what was she so afraid of? Stefan did not seem afraid. He was completely different this morning and more carefree than his usual serious self. His expression was relaxed and he was so at ease today. He rattled off a list of suggestions about where they could go and what they should do. He barely paused for answers to his questions of her. She decided she like new Happy Stefan. Maybe last night's discussion was cathartic for him, for all of them. She didn't want to spoil the mood by bringing it up now. He did not seem to even remember it.

Elena was distracted from her own fatigue. They took Lucy with them to pick up Daisy after breakfast. Stefan and Elena were going to take the dogs on a "hike". Poor Lucy was not really built for such adventures, so Elena brought along a little back pack for the little dog to rest in if necessary, spoiled little thing. But she was adorable and deserved it. They made it to Zack and Stefan's house. It was temporarily the scene of minor confrontation between the two dogs. Lucy tried to demonstrate to the larger dog that she was a lot tougher than she looked while Daisy simply ignored her and greeted Stefan and Elena enthusiastically.

There were moments of quiet on their walk when Elena wondered if Stefan was thinking about the previous night. But they didn't discuss it, not wanting to ruin the mood. This was already a day that would become a happy memory and she simply refused to let it end.

By that evening, they were back at Zack's house with Lexi. The mood was light hearted.

It was Saturday evening and Lexi would make the short drive back to Whitmore in the morning. It was decided they would choose a movie online, pop popcorn and relax. Lexi picked up on the general shift in Stefan's demeanor. She sent a genuine smile Elena's way, grateful to see her brother so content. Sunday was when Elena's Aunt Jenna and her boyfriend Alaric were due home. So she had one more evening without restriction and would spend the night there. The three fought to stay awake but no one was going to make it through to the end of the movie. The dogs were snuggled beside them.

Elena was exhausted from the long day outside and seemed to be coming down with a cold. She was able to sleep soundly through the night. But she woke up miserable and feverish. Saying goodbye to Lexi, they exchanged phone numbers and hugs. They were going to miss each other, although Whitmore was not far from home. They wanted to keep in touch and relayed this more with expressions than words. Elena was suddenly sad to see Lexi pull out of the driveway.

Stefan took Elena and her dog home and then made a run for medicine and chicken soup, returning quickly. She was so grateful he was there. And she eventually drifted off back to sleep when he went home. Elena was feeling better by Sunday evening and her Aunt Jenna had arrived home. Elena realized how much she really missed her and Alaric over the weekend. Jenna was only 10 years older than Elena but was made her legal guardian after the death of Elena's parents a couple of years before. Aunt Jenna fussed over Elena, concerned with her cold and feeling a little guilty for having left her to fend for herself. She wanted to be filled in on the events of the weekend and hear about the new boyfriend! But the girls wanted to get together at Bonnie's that night for a little while. Really, Elena wanted to talk to Grams about Stefan. And Bonnie had already talked to Grams of course. Reluctantly, Jenna allowed a still sniffling Elena to go but asked that she be home early enough to get some much needed rest.

As the girls were seated at Gram's kitchen table, Caroline excitedly explained her absence from Elena's gathering Friday evening. Apparently, she has a new boyfriend, Damon, and she went on in excruciating detail about their most recent date.

"The only reason I was able to come over here is because Damon is working. He might be picking me up later." As she continued on and on, Bonnie and Elena did their best to appear fascinated and entertained. They really were interested in their friend's happiness but were ultimately still distracted by Friday night's events.

Caroline finally paused to take a breath, "So, how's it going with Stefan? What did I miss?"

Bonnie and Elena exchanged a glance. Caroline picked up on this but chose to ignore it. She was not feeling vulnerable tonight. If the girls were leaving her out of something, again, she would eventually find out what it was.

"Well, we got to hang out with his sister Lexi. It was a nice visit until ….."

Elena trails off and looks down, "Stefan and Bonnie passed out after all the wine. We called it a night."

"Well, sounds like I didn't miss much," Caroline could be harsh with her words.

She continued on about the new boyfriend as if they were engaged. This topic dominated the conversation. Elena felt guilty but was hoping Caroline would get a text or call from her mysterious new man and leave. She wanted to talk to Grams and Bonnie without Caroline's snarky remarks and eye rolling.

Grams had already greeted them briefly when the girls came in, but was very much involved in the book she had on her lap, looking serious, eyeglasses at the tip of her nose, glass in hand.

Caroline was unstoppable. As she chattered on endlessly, Bonnie and Elena heard Grams say something from the other room. Caroline inpatiently paused her monologue.

"What was that Grams?" Bonnie called out to her.

"I was just asking about the fetch."

"What?"

"Fetch."

"Is she even talking to us?" Caroline whispered.

The girls were still seated around the table, looking at each other in confusion and trying to make sense of what they had just heard Grams say from the other room.

An exasperated Caroline muttered, "Bonnie, why don't you go pour Grams another shot?"

"I don't need one, but thank you Caroline." Grams voice got louder as she entered the kitchen.

Caroline blushed and was at a loss for words when she realized Grams was coming into the room just then behind her.

"Oh, Ms. Sheila,...ummmmm," Caroline's attempt at an apology went ignored.

Sheila looked directly at Elena, and pointedly asked,

"Elena, honey, has your friend Stefan ever actually seen his own fetch?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sheila's question seemed to drain all the oxygen from the room. Elena remembered that Sheila had taken an interest in Stefan's story and now Elena was grateful, almost relieved. Sheila had always been interested in anything having to do with dreams or what could be mistaken for the creation of an overactive imagination. She had started doing some research of her own when Elena had first told them about her new friend possibly having a twin. Elena followed Sheila downstairs to talk, leaving poor Bonnie alone to entertain Caroline, at the now quiet, kitchen table. Both of the girls wondered if they should follow.

Elena took a seat next to Sheila. Bonnie's Grams used the lower section of their split level as her living space, bedroom and study. Bonnie's room was upstairs off the main hallway along with a small kitchen and living room. Eventually, guests always congregated downstairs in front of the large TV. And the noise and chatter never seemed to bother Grams even when she looked deep in concentration. This part of the home was quite cozy and tonight it was chilly enough outside to build a fire in the fireplace.

Elena got comfortable and explained her own experience again, about when she thought she had seen Stefan walking on his way to the dog park when she had just left him there. And more recently, when she saw him in the kitchen when he was really asleep on her couch. Elena tried to remember all she could about what Stefan and Lexi had reported during their lengthy discussion Friday evening. Stefan had been accused of being places he was not and at times that could not have been possible. Uncle Zack had thought he had seen Stefan sleepwalking.

He had possibly been a sleepwalker as a child. This had caused confusion among the family members as to who had seen him and when. Stefan's sister Lexi was older and was better able to remember these details as well as how this mystery had even caused tension between their parents.

Elena also went on to tell Sheila what Lexi had said about Stefan "always having had someone with him."

"A double walker or fetch is an apparitional representation of a living being. It is usually a bad omen. At least according to these old books," Sheila explained.

Sheila calmly put down her drink and left her favorite chair. She headed towards one of the enormous bookcases filled with dusty books as well as others that looked more recently well loved. The books Sheila owned took over the room, stacked on the floor and on every spare surface one could find. She was a teacher and researcher herself. And despite her enormous collection she always seemed to know exactly where everything was among her books. She headed towards the works on dreams, apparitions and folklore.

"So…..he has never seen this image of himself or interacted with it?"

Elena felt a chill, "No, not that I know of. From talking to his sister, it sounded like the family kept this from him."

"Smart."

Elena's heart started to pick up.

Sheila noticed Elena's pale complexion and she also knew the girl was still not feeling well,

"I don't want you to worry Elena. I'm going to make this a bit of a project for myself. Do you know if he has ever had any childhood illnesses? Is he prone to accidents? He is in good health, I trust?"

Where was this going?

"I don't mean to interrupt," Caroline came downstairs with Bonnie, having heard the last few bits of the discussion, "but my boyfriend called, I'm on my way out," she smiled hoping Bonnie's Grams had forgiven her earlier comment.

They exchanged goodbyes. Caroline felt like she was interrupting a serious conversation, of which, she was not meant to be part of and looked at Bonnie in confusion and rolled her eyes. Bonnie tried to ignore Caroline as she said goodbye and walked back into the room with Elena and Grams.

"So, do you have any ideas about what is going on with Stefan, Grams?" Bonnie really wanted to know.

"Let me research this further, the folklore, the etymology of the terms, before we get too carried away," Sheila tried to wrap up the conversation here to let Elena get home to rest.

This was not the ideal time for this discussion. But Sheila did warn Elena as she left, Stefan coming in contact with his own double could be cause for concern.

Elena began to wonder if they were ALL reading too much into the situation.

Elena was not in school the next morning. Her fever having returned, Aunt Jenna agreed that she should stay home and rest.

After a text from Elena, Stefan decided he would check on her after school. He missed her, just having been separated for the day.

Stefan realized again that it had been awhile since he and Matt had spoken. He felt a little guilty and realized he should talk to him. Stefan had been wrapped up his own world and did not want to loose the first friend he had made at school.

Matt didn't still seem angry but maybe a little bit confused. Stefan stopped him and was relieved when Matt went back to being himself and eased back into conversation. After a few minutes, when Matt suggested they meet up, Stefan would definitely have felt bad putting him off this time, so he agreed. He didn't want to abandon his friend because of a new girlfriend. But he wasn't about to let Matt in on his personal business either.

After school he stopped in to check on Elena. She let him in when she heard the knock at the door, her hair still wet from a shower that had exhausted her.

Concerned at her paleness, he wrapped her in an embrace, noticing the fever had taken hold of her. Kissing her forehead, he noticed her head was uncomfortably hot to the touch.

"Okay, I'm staying. Where's Aunt Jenna?" he said closing the door.

Jenna was a caring soul, but not the overprotective type. She was the default guardian who did the best she could but was not much older than her niece and not maternal by nature.

"Well, I believe she is spending the evening at Alaric's, but don't worry, she gave me a ride to the doctor's. We got some medicine and I will live," she said with a weak smile. She felt better leaning into his arms. But she was weak to the point of feeling like he was actually holding her up.

He went on to repeat everything Jenna had said, "You need rest...get in bed...take some medicine... eat some soup... let me make you some tea," it was sweet and annoying at the same time.

"I'm done with being in my room! It felt like I was trapped in there all day," she commented but almost felt better with him just being there. He was so much more attentive than a guy his age would normally be and it was endearing… attractive…

Stefan had been slow to warm up in the beginning of their blossoming relationship. Now his very presence was a comfort to her. They talked about everything. Family drama. Friend drama. Caroline drama. But they were each at a place where they were comfortable, Stefan at Zack's and Elena with Jenna...and with Bonnie and Grams as her extended family. Stefan had become much more cheerful and she liked to think that in part, it was because of her.

Stefan got a pot of tea going and they heated up the soup Jenna had managed to put together for dinner.

Under a blanket, on the couch, they snuggled in front of the TV while Stefan cooled her forehead with a cold cloth. And as she felt better, he ran the cloth down her arms and along the back of her neck and across her chest. She settled onto his lap and smiled as her body began to respond. She leaned in for a chaste kiss and giggled about not wanting him to come down with her "plague."

He chuckled under his breath and began to twist the strands of her hair gently with his fingers, tugging at the roots. She forgot everything.

 **TBC**

 **Reviews appreciated!**

 **Apologies again for any escaped typos!**

 **This is my first fanfic and while I am enjoying it, each subsequent chapter becomes more difficult… This story is also becoming longer than I expected.**

 **Hope you are enjoying it so far!**

 **Chapter 8 is already in the works.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Weeks had gone by since Stefan's ominous double was _knowingly_ spotted. There were times when Stefan's mood would shift and darken. Elena would wonder if something or someone was competing for his energy. Her own imagination was beginning to frighten her. They had ignored the topic of Stefan's look-alike for several days, almost a week. There had not been anymore sightings. Maybe their general acknowledgement of it has stopped the appearances of it somehow.

And every time she thought of relaying Bonnie's Grams theories about his double, she stopped, herself realizing how silly it all sounded.

She and Stefan spent more and more time together. Caroline had all but disappeared since meeting her new boyfriend. Elena sighed thinking about how, _now_ she supposed, Caroline wouldn't mind her and Bonnie's friendship as much.

Another walk in the woods and it gets dark faster than they expected.

The clocks had changed. Stefan and Elena had gotten a late start on a Saturday afternoon. They weren't sure if they wanted to take the dogs on their hike. They had decided to just bring Stefan's border collie, Daisy, who was more likely to be able to keep up. It had been a beautiful day. The leaves were changing. The pleasant chill in the air had become the norm.

Elena was feeling better but got winded faster than usual after recovering from a bad cold. They found a place to sit. It was a wooded area intended for walks and hikes, so it was equipped for places to rest with benches and water for dogs.

Stefan had put the leash down next to him until his dog began to bark. He picked it up again for fear she would bolt. Now, Daisy was resting in the grass next to them quietly again. Feeling more trust, he put the lease back down. Elena pulled out a bottle of water for each of them as well as Daisy's water bowl and a treat.

Several minutes passed and they were quiet, getting some rest from their walk.

Before Stefan could react, Daisy was on her feet and bolted off the trail and into the wooded area.

He looked at Elena before he went sprinting after the dog, calling to Daisy.

Thankfully, a few random lights lit up the path. But only the path. The park was technically closed after dark. Elena did not feel like getting lost in the woods. She decided to wait for Stefan while he tracked down Daisy. She could still hear him calling her name. A few people continued to pass by her on the path. People with children, and apparently better behaved dogs, were on their way back to their vehicles.

She wasn't going to go running off into the woods looking for them. She had her phone. She continued to walk along the curved path leading to the parking lot. She could still hear Stefan calling to Daisy. His voice remained audible and at the same volume as she walked along the path, meaning he was getting closer to the parking lot as well. She was still about a half mile away from the lot when she started taking note of other hikers around her. It was still bright enough to see. But she kept thinking she saw Stefan here or there. It would always be someone with the same sandy hair or dark denim jacket. But then she would hear his voice coming from the woods off to her left again. And she would quickly realize she had been looking at someone else.

After a few minutes, she stopped hearing Stefan calling for Daisy. She listened as carefully as she could but did not hear anything coming from the woods. Maybe he had caught up with the dog. There were people walking past and talking all around her. She must have seemed distressed as people were starting to look at her now. She needed to know where Stefan was. Pulling out her phone, she called him.

An older gentleman approached her. He seemed to be walking by himself. He looked to be in his seventies. He wore a grey cap and light wool jacket.

"Did your friend loose his dog Miss?" the man asked sounding genuinely concerned.

"Yes, she just suddenly ran off," she was more than happy to vent. She was getting annoyed at having to wait.

The man looked all around them on the path and then at Elena.

"I think you will find the dog up ahead a bit," he pointed further up the trail.

And it was then that she saw Stefan and Daisy up ahead of her. Daisy was drenched! Had she gotten into the stream? They were close to a waterfall. But Stefan had bent down at the knee and was trying to offer his hand to sniff as you would an unfamiliar dog. Daisy was growling and showing teeth.

Elena started to realize she was listening to a phone ringing, coming up behind her. She had almost forgotten she was trying to make a call, her arm having fallen to her side.

The ringing got louder. She turned around to see Stefan coming up behind her,

"Stefan?"

"I don't know what happened. I got all turned around in those damned woods. I couldn't find her. She was heading towards the water like she was chasing something. Then I looked around and didn't know where I was. Everything looked the same."

His voice went from furious to relieved, instantly, "Daisy!"

Daisy was suddenly galloping towards him, happy to see him.

"What happened to you? What were you doing in the water! Let's get her into the car and get the heat on."

The older gentleman was gone. And so was "Stefan" ahead of them on the path.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Stefan was more fascinated than frightened by the idea of coming face to face with his own double.

And that had almost just happened.

Elena did not seem to really want to talk about it. There was a short, feeble rambling about mistaken identity at the trail... but the ride home was in silence.

Perhaps having not seen it himself made him unconvinced of its existence despite all the reliable stories. But since that one spooky evening at Elena's house where they all sat around scaring the hell out of each other, (he along with Elena, Bonnie, and Lexi), enough time had passed for him to think this apparition meant him no harm. Even thinking this to himself, made him feel he was giving it too much attention.

If, as Lexi said, it had been in the background his whole life, then he could not see how it as being malevolent. Maybe it was something or someone looking out for him? And perhaps mischievous? Somehow, Elena and Lexi had "seen" his "dream" of walking out the door that night.

And was this visitor's appearance increasing in frequency? Stefan realized that Elena is the only one who has directly told him about the double. If his family tried to ignore it for whatever reason. Had his friends and teachers seen it before when he was living at home?

Elena had more freedom than most teenagers did. She often had the house to herself, sometimes for the entire weekend.

And this had been the main reason for spending so much time at Bonnie's. And the friendship that Caroline had been so jealous of what was really a necessary anchor in Elena's life. Aunt Jenna was wonderful, but too young to pretend to be "mom." Bonnie's home had become more of a haven for her than Caroline would ever be capable of understanding. Caroline was temporarily out of the picture, with Damon occupying her attention. Not that Caroline's approval was something she needed. But Stefan had filled such a void in her life. She had started to feel calmer and more independent. Her concern for Stefan made her much less self involved. It seemed a logical use of time for her to care about someone more than she did herself.

Much like Elena, Stefan also had a lot of freedom. Zack was not his legal guardian, but rather, his understood guardian. And he never felt that Stefan gave him much reason not to be trusted. He seemed an old soul.

Along with this freedom came assumed privileges. So long as Jenna was occasionally not home, either staying with Alaric, or on campus where she was a graduate student, Elena had to fend for herself.

Stefan and Elena fell into a routine of almost playing house on weekends and occasionally during the week.

Sometimes Stefan would still look at Elena and wonder how he had been so fortunate as to capture her attention. He did not want anything to ruin it. Was she more frightened than she was letting on?

"How am I supposed to tell the difference between you?" she almost laughed hysterically. She had just started talking as they made their way into her house.

"The apparition doesn't cast a shadow," he answered quietly.

"What?" she looked at him, having not expected a response at all.

He repeated what he had been told during a phone conversation with Lexi during the week.

"It doesn't make eye contact or seem to be aware of other people. But it seems to be aware of animals… Pets were usually afraid of it."

Elena had not realized he had finally started talking to his sister about were details Lexi had gleaned from hearing her parents talk over the years ….

That, along with a story that had especially startled his mother,

"One day she saw me walk into the bathroom with my towel to take a shower. The water had been going for some time and she knocked on the door to tell me to get ready for school. She kept knocking impatiently. This woke me up and I walked out of my bedroom into the hall to see my mom banging on the bathroom door and calling my name. When I spoke, she turned around wide eyed. The bathroom door was opened to reveal a running shower with no one in it."

"I remembered the story, but no one had let on that there had been another 'me' who entered the bathroom," Stefan finished.

Elena had no idea that he had inquired about the double further. Like her, he often felt it was a difficult topic to discuss. There was almost an air of superstition where they were afraid they could "talk it up."

"What else did say?" Elena encouraged him gently.

"It always seems to be the same age as me, but a healthier version. When I was sick, or injured with a broken leg, it never reflected that. The weaker I was, the stronger it was."

Elena remembered that Sheila referred to the double as a bad omen and something Stefan would not want to come in contact with. She decided to keep that bit of information to herself for the time being.

He sat down next to her and she relaxed. Relieved that they were talking about it.

"Lexi talked to my parents about it after what happened here. She is angry with them for letting this drive a wedge in our family. They have expressed interest in my returning but I'm much happier here," he leaned in with a reassuring kiss and squeeze.

Elena had always been freaked out by someone talking in their sleep or walking in their sleep. If she ever heard a friend or family member talking in their sleep, she could not wake them up fast enough. (The only time it was not terrifying to her, was when she could hear her little cousin, Margaret, giggle in her sleep as a toddler). But adults usually were trying to pull themselves out of a nightmare. And just the mere thought that the person wasn't really themselves at the time…

They looked the same, lying asleep, peacefully, but in their dreams they were fighting a battle that another person, right next to them, could not see… Elena had heard that it was dangerous to wake a sleepwalker. She assumed this is because they could become frightened and agitated.

Elena walked downstairs in the middle of the night to warm up some milk to help her sleep. Stefan was stirring in his sleep upstairs, but that wasn't what had bothered her. She kept trying to figure out what had happened at the park. A few weeks of peace had gone by with nothing and then it happened again.

She saw him without hearing him come down the stairs. He walked past her and began rummaging through his school bag he left on the dining room table.

In the middle of the night.

She thought about approaching him, but decided instead to go back to bed. She left the empty mug on the counter. Slipping past him, she crept upstairs, hoping to NOT find him in bed there.

 **We are almost there. I expect to finish soon, probably with the next chapter.**

 **Thank you for following. Ideas for my next story are in the works…**

 **Again, constructive criticism always appreciated!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Elena stopped just inside her bedroom door.

When she saw Stefan asleep in the bed, her mind went on autopilot. She reached over to gently wake him. First by barely touching his arm, then shaking him slightly. He seemed to be in a deep sleep. She finally had to whisper his name before he opened his eyes. Poor Stefan had that confused bewildered look someone has when coming out of a deep dream filled sleep.

"I'm sorry. I know you're tired. You need to come downstairs with me."

That woke him up.

He followed her down the steps and into the kitchen.

It wasn't until they were halfway down the steps when Elena remembered that Sheila said something about a bad omen. Running into one's ethereal double could "portend death."

Elena didn't know if she should grab him to stop him or not. But Stefan was already picking up speed as he descended the stairs. Just as she was about to say something he halted at the bottom of the steps and froze, staring towards the kitchen.

Of course while looking at his double, something would seem _familiar_. But this encounter jogged his memory, as if this had happened _before_.

" _You've always had someone with you_

 _Stefan,"_ he remembered his sister Lexi telling him.

He tried to memorize everything he was observing, not knowing when the apparition would disappear. He saw the opened book bag. The first thing Stefan noticed was that he had just been dreaming this very scenario. Elena had woken him up from a boring dream. It had been about losing an important flash drive in his bag or was it notes? He had been going through his bag looking for something in his dream. The only reason these thoughts had invaded his subconscious was probably because he had been worried about finishing a paper. Completely mundane, but enough to make him anxious.

He walked slowly towards his double and it turned around. The next thing he noticed was that the figure lacked any expression. The facial features were almost perfect, doll like and unnatural. But he did not feel threatened. The spirit seemed benevolent and he felt a feeling of comfort and protection come over him. Warmth. The double did not look like a _solid_ figure, nor was it translucent.

Now or never… he reached out his hand to touch the figure. He was actually comfortable enough to get that close. It was like reaching through a spider web. Ticklish and uncomfortable. Stefan pulled his hand back. It had gone partially through the figure.

And then it was gone.

Elena had held back, but now came rushing toward Stefan. Relief flooded her when she had seen the apparition disappear. Stefan kept staring in the direction where the figure had been. He seemed disappointed that it left him.

They saw the sun come up, neither of them sleeping much. They snuggled up together seeking comfort. He could feel her heartbeat as he held onto her sensing she was more nervous than he was. They were camped out on the living room couch, almost like they wanted to see if it would come back.

"I need to take you to meet Bonnie's Grams," Elena told him in the morning. She had briefly explained their conversations about Stefan's spiritual double. And that Sheila had taken an interest and done some research in the matter.

Sheila greeted Stefan warmly when he arrived at the house with Elena. There was something about Bonnie's house that made everyone want to live there! The place just felt like home. It wasn't just the roaring fire, the smell of cookies, the comfy sofas and throw pillows, the soft lighting and candles, it was most definitely the company… Bonnie greeted Elena like a sister. Elena felt better just having Stefan meet Grams. Bonnie's Grams would take care of them somehow.

They explained the sighting from the night before...

"I have a couple of theories. This is something I have read about but never actually heard of happening. I'm concerned this may be Stefan's _fetch,_ " Sheila held a large book in her hand and settled back in her chair.

" _ **Fetch**_ or _**wraith**_ refers to a likeness or apparition, in English and Irish lore, of a living being who is thought to come to retrieve the soul of its human counterpart…

But, before we get too carried away, I have also read that this 'double walker' can be nothing more than a futuristic representation of that person.

Or it could simply be mischievous, making trouble and causing confusion and fear in the life of its fleshy counterpart," Sheila continued paraphrasing while pausing to turn pages that appeared to have already be bookmarked.

Sheila spoke directly to Stefan then,

"And the confusion about sleepwalking and dreaming your double's actions as they take place, this suggests the double is draining some of your energy. When you are asleep, tired, ill, stressed, seems distracted, or even day dreaming the double may be sharing your essence." Grams added while removing another bookmark.

Elena's mind drifted as she heard Grams' words fade into the background…

"Myth…

Waking a sleepwalker. ..

leave the person without their soul forever…."

Now Grams was pulling out a notebook, she really had made this a project for herself.

"Now looking at the etymology of the term wraith, it is thought to have Scottish origins possibly referring to a guardian or warden,"

She looked up from her notes and took off her glasses,

"And perhaps even a guardian angel as is suggested by some old Norse mythology."

"Stefan, I'm not trying to frighten you. Quite the opposite. This entity may not be a fetch, but rather a guardian."

Elena suddenly wanted to leave. Whether this was good or bad she felt like she didn't want Stefan out of her sight.

He remembered now. There was a distant hazy image from childhood that seemed more a dream than an actual memory. A memory of a memory.

A little boy standing over him as he lay in bed. The boy looked like him. But Stefan wasn't afraid.

Stefan was a toddler and too young to have much understanding of how he got to the hospital or what was wrong with him. Something hurt. It hurt too much to move and it was a desperate, frightening feeling. Nurses came and went throughout the day and night with shots to help with the pain. They made adjustments to the tubes running to different places in his body.

Children are blessed with a lack of understanding about the pitfalls and dangers of what it means to hear things like surgery, complications, condition, critical. But they are also left to fill in the gaps with the horrors that only a child's mind could cook up.

He knew that he had been to the hospital off and on, late at night, his mother could not always follow him into the white rooms. His father had to be there when she was not able to handle it. Being born with a heart condition left his parents living on the brink of disaster.

These were memories that had faded over the years. He did not have these emergencies anymore. It wasn't until years later, his father told him about the heart surgeries he had had as a child. The problem had been corrected. And after years of keeping Stefan calm, no sudden noises, nothing to upset him, keeping him away from other children and people until his body could fight on it's own again and protect him….his body seemed to heal after the last hospital stay. No scars remained and he was never sick again in his life.

After the visit in the bright hospital room that night so many years before, from a boy much like himself, he was miraculously well again and the events seemed to coincide. It was a turning point. The point where he was either going to go with the little boy or stay. He had no recollection of making such a decision. Nor was he sure whether or not the decision had been made for him.

He remembered the boy reaching for his hand. His body angled as if to lead Stefan away. His body had warmed. The blood rushing to his fingers and toes. It became easier to breathe. He felt hungry. He was coming back. He tried to sit up. Stefan did not follow the boy out of the room that day, away from the death bed. And so, the boy never really left him.

Grams saw the click in Stefan's mind. A memory. He looked like he had been watching a movie behind his eyes.

"Stefan?" she called to him. Everyone had been watching him. He recounted the memory to them.

"So, this may be a spirit tasked with summoning me?" he asked her.

"But chose to stay?" Grams was thinking aloud, "A fallen angel, a benevolent spirit, a guardian angel…"

"It sounds more like someone who is envious of Stefan's life," Bonnie spoke up.

And that was the first time, in a while, that someone referred to "it" as "someone."

The tea cups were filled and the plate of cookies passed was around...

There was some brief discussion about getting rid of the double. Or making it go away. Stefan immediately silenced those thoughts. He had picked up on such warmth and protection from this entity and realizing that it may be the reason he was alive today, he wondered what else the spirit had protected him from over the years. He was not going to ask it to go away. This surprised Elena and Bonnie, but not Grams.

However, Grams took it a bit far with talk of the spirit taking some of Stefan's essence in exchange for his continued health and... time…or maybe that just seemed too unsettling.

They were trying to convince themselves to not be afraid.

The din of discussion faded into the background as Stefan made up his mind to consider himself fortunate. Bonnie and Grams were still talking. Stefan was noticeably more relaxed. Elena picked up on this and smiled with relief.

Sheila interrupted the moment,

"I don't know why the spirit chose to let you see and touch _him_ , but you are still here.

If it has picked up the frequency of its appearances, culminating in this encounter, it would be interesting to see if _he_ leaves you alone now…"

"I don't think I want _him_ to," Stefan answered.

 **END**

 **I refused to use the term doppelganger in my story for two reasons. As part of the TVD "lore" the term is used in a completely different context. And it never frightened me.**

 **But also, it gave too much away. I wanted the reader, as well as myself, to have the opportunity to see the different possibilities and explanations for this presence. The doppelganger idea is not something I have ever given much credit to until I recently came across some old folklore and urban legends. I love ghost stories. But they are overdone and they are all the same. This is not an entirely original idea but it was new to me and my plot is original.**

 **This could have ended on a sad note. I wasn't going to do that. But I wasn't going to tie the ending up in a perfect bow either. I struggled with the ending, but only when I worried too much about how it would be received. I went with what made sense to me. I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Thank you for taking the time to read it!**


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